Oklahoma woman warning others, claims she was inappropriately frisked during a traffic stop

OKLAHOMA CITY – An Oklahoma City woman says she has filed a formal complaint against an officer with the Oklahoma City Police Department after she claims she was inappropriately frisked during a traffic stop.

“It did make me feel uncomfortable because it was really unexpected and I didn’t see any reason for it,” said Jo.

Jo, who does not want to be identified, says she was pulled over last week for running a red light, which is a common traffic violation.

However, she says what happened during the stop was anything but routine.

She claims the officer asked her to get out of her vehicle and started to pat her down.

She didn’t think the violation warranted a pat down, especially on her inner thighs, where she says her pants were skin-tight.

“The shirt that I had on was way looser than my pants, but he never really patted me down in my torso,” she said.

Capt. Dexter Nelson, with the Oklahoma City Police Department, says it is standard procedure to pat down subjects before they are placed in a patrol car.

Nelson says that while having female officers conduct a pat down is available to women, it is not a requirement.

“If there’s not one available, which is commonly the case because we don’t have that many female officers on the department, the officer is allowed to pat down a female individual,” he said.

Jo says she understands the need for pat searches, but is confused about why she was asked to get out of her vehicle in the first place.

“I just want other women to be aware. I think all women should be aware of their rights. We need to know what’s policy and what isn’t, that way we know not to let anybody take advantage of us,” she said.

If you feel uncomfortable during a traffic stop, authorities say you may ask for a supervisor to come to the scene.

The police department confirmed the officer involved in the case is a rookie and is still going through training.

Authorities say the allegations will be investigated by the Oklahoma City Police Department.